SOMSD facilities update highlights completion of observatory project

MAPLEWOOD / SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Paul Roth, the school business administrator and board secretary in South Orange and Maplewood, recently gave a facilities update.

In a December update, the district reported ongoing work to repair Columbia High School’s observatory, located at the top of the school’s clock tower. This project included the restoration of the observatory’s large refracting telescope, originally built by prominent American astronomer and instrument designer John Brashear, who died in 1920. The whole project was completed in January 2020.

“Very few high schools have observatories, and it was wonderful to bring the one at Columbia High School back to life after years of disrepair,” Roth wrote in the update. “It is a treasure for the students and the community. Many members of the high school’s Astronomy Club have visited the observatory in its restored state and are very excited to start using the telescope.”

As for the Long-Range Facilities Plan, the December update relayed that meetings with administrators, environmental testing and geothermal studies were ongoing. Core samples for geothermal testing were completed during the December break, and the analysis of these samples should be completed later this month. Asbestos bulk sample testing was completed in January and the results delivered to the architect. The reports from these studies are required to complete the design work.

Next, the district’s architect will incorporate changes based upon the information provided during the meetings and from the information provided in these reports. Another series of follow-up meetings will be scheduled to inform the district of changes and to reach a consensus on the final designs. Once the final designs are approved, updated schematics will be submitted to the New Jersey Department of Education, plans will be submitted to the Maplewood and South Orange municipal building departments, and the specifications will be submitted to the New Jersey Comptroller’s Office.

During the code review process, municipal code officials will review the plans to ensure that they conform to all code requirements, such as fire, electric, plumbing, etc. The review process takes a minimum of 20 days, but given the size and scope of these projects, the LRFP’s review process will likely take longer.

  Columbia High School, South Orange–Maplewood School District